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ITV Report

15 February 2013 at 10:20am

Scarlett Keeling death: what happened?

Scarlett was on a six month trip to India when she died Photo: PA

15-year-old Scarlett Keeling was on a six month holiday in India with her family when she was found raped and drowned in February 2008. Her body was lying half-submerged on Anjuna beach in the state of Goa - a popular holiday destination.

Anjuna beach, Goa, where Scarlett's body was found Credit: PA

Scarlett's mother Fiona MacKeown had allowed Scarlett to stay in Anjuna in the care of a 25-year-old tour guide while the rest of the family went travelling - a decision Ms MacKeown said she "bitterly regretted" with hindsight.

Scarlett's mother Fiona MacKeown Credit: PA

It took four years for the Bideford teenager's body to be buried, due to lengthy police investigations in India. Initially, Indian authorities insisted she had drowned accidentally. But Scarlett's Ms Mackeown demanded a second post mortem - this revealed her daughter had been drugged and raped. Two men - Samson D'Souza, 31, and Placido Carvalho, 43 - are on trial for causing her death (allegedly by leaving her drugged and unconscious where they knew she would drown), sexual assault, outraging modesty and destroying evidence. But the trial too has proved an arduous process: two and a half years long so far.